Friendships, lost posts, BlogHer day 1

Yesterday, in the midst of a stunning Santa Barbara afternoon, I spent a lazy hour on the patio of our rental house. Trisha was driving home, Paige had just left for a work event, and Amy was across the coffee table from me, tapping away on her laptop.

I wrote a long post about deep friendships and taking time for self and friends. It was a good piece, well-structured and reflective. I hit "save" and the screen froze. I tried everything but to no avail, and it was with real sadness and disappointment that I shut my computer and accepted the loss of the thoughts and memories I'd just spent so long lovingly recording.

I'd hoped to try again tonight, but I'm too tired and so will wait for a slower day. After a last breakfast together, a walk on the beach, a saunter through an outlet mall, more laughs and lunch, Amy dropped me off at the LA hotel where BlogHer '16 is being hosted.

I've spent the past few hours catching up with a great pal I met last year at BlogHer in NYC -and going to Wine & GYN together, a delightful kick-off to BlogHer '16- and am now ready to hit the sack. Instead of my thoughts on old friends and the restorative value of taking time for self, I'll leave you with some pictures and plan to check back in soon. I hope you're all well!

California produce is just absurdly good.

Bougainvillea

a mid-afternoon coffee

Santa Barbara

Montecito

California

After teaching a great pie class yesterday, I hurriedly packed, cooked the boys dinner, played a family game, and tucked in, eagerly anticipating this morning's early departure to Los Angeles. 

Three of my dearest friends, two of whom I met freshman year of college, and I are celebrating our 40th birthdays together with a four day stay in Santa Barbara. Then on Thursday, I head back to LA for BlogHer '16.

My sweet Ol

I'm so excited and feel so lucky for this weeklong vacation with friends and for myself. It is needed, deserved, and very much appreciated. 

Heading west  

California

Hope you are all well! 

Lightly fried pattypan squash with brown butter corn and cotija

Earlier this week, I concocted a marvelous new dish whose star was a gorgeous white pattypan squash I grew in my garden. 

Most pattypans I come across in the DC area are the yellow-skinned variety. During the summertime, they're third in the quantity available line to yellow squash and green zucchini, all of which I usually grill or thinly shave and serve raw in a salad of sorts.

When I saw that those growing in my garden were the white-skinned version, I was reminded of those I've not seen since my childhood. Mom and Nanny cooked a lot of squash. Squash casserole, boiled squash, stuffed squash, lightly fried squash....White-skinned scalloped squash were prevalent in the summers, and Nanny and Mom sliced them into rounds, dipped them in an egg-milk mixture before dredging them in generously salted and peppered flour, and then frying them quickly in hot canola oil.

The batter was so light, barely clinging to the delicate squash. Parmesan grated over the top was the finishing touch. Mom would eat the slices straight from the paper towel-lined plate she'd transferred them to from the oil.

Long story short, this week when I sent Mom a photo of my blue ribbon squash, she reminded me of that old recipe, and I decided to take things just a step further by adding brown butter corn and chives, avocado and tomato slices, and grated Cotija cheese. 

It was an absolute hit, if I say so myself. A lovely way to take advantage of the season! You can find the recipe here.